Salma Hayek and her career

Salma Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991 to study acting under Stella Adler, hoping for a career in Hollywood, despite limited fluency in English brought on by dyslexia. Robert Rodriguez and his producer wife Elizabeth Avellan soon gave Salma Hayek the break she needed, a starring role opposite Antonio Banderas in 1995's Desperado.[6] The movie caught Hollywood's attention, as moviegoers proved to be dazzled by Salma Hayek as Rodriguez had been. Due to Salma Hayek's loyalty to the director she would later decline playing the role Catherine Zeta-Jones eventually took in The Mask of Zorro after Rodriguez abandoned the project. She has also appeared in the Spy Kids trilogy.

Salma Hayek followed her success in Desperado with a brief but memorable role as a vampire queen in From Dusk Till Dawn, where she provocatively danced on a table before killing Quentin Tarantino's character. In 1999, she co-starred in Will Smith's big-budget Wild Wild West, and played a supporting role in Kevin Smith's Dogma. In 2000, she had an uncredited acting part opposite Benicio del Toro in Traffic. Around this time Salma Hayek founded production company Ventanarosa, through which she produces film and television projects. Her first feature as a producer was 1999's El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba, Mexico's official selection for submission for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.

Frida, co-produced by Salma Hayek, was released in 2002. Starring Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo, and Alfred Molina as her unfaithful husband, Diego Rivera, the film was directed by Julie Taymor and also featured an entourage of stars in supporting roles, including Antonio Banderas, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Edward Norton and Valeria Golino. She earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her performance.[6] This made Salma Hayek, along with Katy Jurado and Adriana Barraza, one of only three Mexican actresses to have been nominated for an Academy Award. She became, after Fernanda Montenegro, the second ever Latin American nominated for a Best Actress Oscar.

Following Frida, in 2003 she reprised her role from Desperado by appearing in the final film of the Mariachi Trilogy, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. In that same year she produced and directed the The Maldonado Miracle, a Showtime movie which won her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special. In December 2005 she directed a music video for Prince, titled Te Amo Corazon ("I love you, sweetheart") that featured her good friend Mia Maestro.

Salma Hayek is an executive producer of Ugly Betty, television series airing around the world since September 2006. Salma Hayek adapted the series for American television with Ben Silverman, who acquired the rights and scripts from the Colombian Telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea in 2001. Originally intended as a half hour sitcom for NBC in 2004, the project would later be picked up by ABC for the 2006-2007 season with Silvio Horta also producing. Salma Hayek guest-starred on Ugly Betty as Sofia Reyes, a magazine editor. She also had a cameo playing an actress in the telenovela within the show. The show quickly became a ratings hit and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series in 2007. Salma Hayek's performance as Sofia has resulted in a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Salma Hayek has also been credited as a song performer in three movies. The first was Desperado for the song Quedate Aquí. In Frida she performed with band Los Vega the Mexican folk song La Bruja. She also recorded Siente mi amor, which played during the end credits of Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

Hayek Gives Birth to Baby Girl, 24 September 2007 (WENN)
Actress Salma Hayek is celebrating becoming a mother for the first time - after giving birth to a girl. The Frida star and fiance Francois-Henri Pinault welcomed Valentina Paloma Pinault at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Friday. A spokesman for the couple says, "Mother and child are doing well." Valentina is Pinault's third child.

Salma Hayek Is Engaged and Pregnant, 12 March 2007 (WENN)
Hollywood star Salma Hayek is engaged to businessman Francois-henri Pinault, and is pregnant with the couple's first child. The 40-year-old actress made the double announcement today, through her representative. Cari Ross said, "Businessman, François-Henri Pinault, and his fiancée, Salma Hayek, are happy to announce they are expecting the arrival of their first child." Hayek has enjoyed a relatively low-profile relationship with Pinault, who is the CEO of PPR, which owns fashion houses Gucci and Yves St. Laurent.

Hayek and Lucas Split, 24 September 2004 (WENN)
Salma Hayek has split from her boyfriend of a year, actor Josh Lucas. The couple have been dating since August 2003 - after Hayek split from long-term lover Edward Norton. But Hayek's representative reveals they separated three month ago. Lucas - who stars in new movie Around The Bend - confirms, "We're not still together."

Salma Hayek To Wed Ed Norton? 19 April 2002 (WENN)
Hollywood star Salma Hayek is set to break the hearts of male fans by marrying lover Edward Norton. Salma - who has been dating the actor for three years - was spotted sporting a sparkling diamond engagement ring at a recent Los Angeles Lakers basketball game. And pals say the couple plan to tie the knot soon. A friend says, "Everything's still real hush-hush. During the game, Salma was trying to keep her left hand hidden, but every now and then, she let it slip out of her pocket. She could not help but show it off." But 33-year-old Salma and her 32-year-old beau failed to conceal their excitement when, at half-time, an electronic message on the scoreboard told spectators to Kiss. The Hollywood couple threw caution to the wind, according to onlookers, "Salma and Ed started making out like love-struck teenagers."



	Salma Hayek and her career Salma Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991 to study acting under Stella Adler, hoping for a career in Hollywood, despite limited fluency in English brought on by dyslexia. Robert Rodriguez and his producer wife Elizabeth Avellan soon gave Salma Hayek the break she needed, a starring role opposite Antonio Banderas in 1995's Desperado.[6] The movie caught Hollywood's attention, as moviegoers proved to be dazzled by Salma Hayek as Rodriguez had been. Due to Salma Hayek's loyalty to the director she would later decline playing the role Catherine Zeta-Jones eventually took in The Mask of Zorro after Rodriguez abandoned the project. She has also appeared in the Spy Kids trilogy. Salma Hayek followed her success in Desperado with a brief but memorable role as a vampire queen in From Dusk Till Dawn, where she provocatively danced on a table before killing Quentin Tarantino's character. In 1999, she co-starred in Will Smith's big-budget Wild Wild West, and played a supporting role in Kevin Smith's Dogma. In 2000, she had an uncredited acting part opposite Benicio del Toro in Traffic. Around this time Salma Hayek founded production company Ventanarosa, through which she produces film and television projects. Her first feature as a producer was 1999's El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba, Mexico's official selection for submission for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. Frida, co-produced by Salma Hayek, was released in 2002. Starring Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo, and Alfred Molina as her unfaithful husband, Diego Rivera, the film was directed by Julie Taymor and also featured an entourage of stars in supporting roles, including Antonio Banderas, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Edward Norton and Valeria Golino. She earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her performance.[6] This made Salma Hayek, along with Katy Jurado and Adriana Barraza, one of only three Mexican actresses to have been nominated for an Academy Award. She became, after Fernanda Montenegro, the second ever Latin American nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Following Frida, in 2003 she reprised her role from Desperado by appearing in the final film of the Mariachi Trilogy, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. In that same year she produced and directed the The Maldonado Miracle, a Showtime movie which won her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special. In December 2005 she directed a music video for Prince, titled Te Amo Corazon ("I love you, sweetheart") that featured her good friend Mia Maestro. Salma Hayek is an executive producer of Ugly Betty, television series airing around the world since September 2006. Salma Hayek adapted the series for American television with Ben Silverman, who acquired the rights and scripts from the Colombian Telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea in 2001. Originally intended as a half hour sitcom for NBC in 2004, the project would later be picked up by ABC for the 2006-2007 season with Silvio Horta also producing. Salma Hayek guest-starred on Ugly Betty as Sofia Reyes, a magazine editor. She also had a cameo playing an actress in the telenovela within the show. The show quickly became a ratings hit and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series in 2007. Salma Hayek's performance as Sofia has resulted in a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards. Salma Hayek has also been credited as a song performer in three movies. The first was Desperado for the song Quedate Aquí. In Frida she performed with band Los Vega the Mexican folk song La Bruja. She also recorded Siente mi amor, which played during the end credits of Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Hayek Gives Birth to Baby Girl, 24 September 2007 (WENN) Actress Salma Hayek is celebrating becoming a mother for the first time - after giving birth to a girl. The Frida star and fiance Francois-Henri Pinault welcomed Valentina Paloma Pinault at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Friday. A spokesman for the couple says, "Mother and child are doing well." Valentina is Pinault's third child. Salma Hayek Is Engaged and Pregnant, 12 March 2007 (WENN) Hollywood star Salma Hayek is engaged to businessman Francois-henri Pinault, and is pregnant with the couple's first child. The 40-year-old actress made the double announcement today, through her representative. Cari Ross said, "Businessman, François-Henri Pinault, and his fiancée, Salma Hayek, are happy to announce they are expecting the arrival of their first child." Hayek has enjoyed a relatively low-profile relationship with Pinault, who is the CEO of PPR, which owns fashion houses Gucci and Yves St. Laurent. Hayek and Lucas Split, 24 September 2004 (WENN) Salma Hayek has split from her boyfriend of a year, actor Josh Lucas. The couple have been dating since August 2003 - after Hayek split from long-term lover Edward Norton. But Hayek's representative reveals they separated three month ago. Lucas - who stars in new movie Around The Bend - confirms, "We're not still together." Salma Hayek To Wed Ed Norton? 19 April 2002 (WENN) Hollywood star Salma Hayek is set to break the hearts of male fans by marrying lover Edward Norton. Salma - who has been dating the actor for three years - was spotted sporting a sparkling diamond engagement ring at a recent Los Angeles Lakers basketball game. And pals say the couple plan to tie the knot soon. A friend says, "Everything's still real hush-hush. During the game, Salma was trying to keep her left hand hidden, but every now and then, she let it slip out of her pocket. She could not help but show it off." But 33-year-old Salma and her 32-year-old beau failed to conceal their excitement when, at half-time, an electronic message on the scoreboard told spectators to Kiss. The Hollywood couple threw caution to the wind, according to onlookers, "Salma and Ed started making out like love-struck teenagers."